


Scratch the Surface

by whattomwants



Category: Actor RPF, British Actor RPF
Genre: F/M, Hair Kink, Love/Hate, Mental Health Issues, Sexual Content, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-21
Updated: 2013-05-21
Packaged: 2017-12-12 13:40:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/812200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whattomwants/pseuds/whattomwants
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something about Tom in that black wig with those long locks drives his hair dresser Leah mad and at first that’s all she sees as shallow as it sounds. The hair is what brings them together and also what ultimately will tear them apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This story deals with mental issues and also a very volatile relationship. You've been warned.

A text from a friend wishing her luck on her first day of work was enough to put Leah in a good mood. The past few months had taken a lot out of her and she had struggled to find work. Imagine her surprise when she was hired to be a hair stylist to one of the actors of Jim Jarmusch’s new film. It would give her a chance to see the world something she would have never had a chance to do had she not taken a huge risk quitting her desk job and instead finding something she loved to do. She had desperately hoped to be set up with Tilda Swinton after all she somewhat idolized her and being a female herself found the challenge to be less stressful. However, when she received her assignment she was less than thrilled. She was to be working with Tom Hiddleston a man who had quite a hefty following on the social networking site tumblr, but was pretty much unknown in the acting world until now. He was making a name for himself slowly, but surely, though he was mostly known for his role as Loki God of Mischief. 

Leah looked at her watched the time ticking by rather quickly. He was supposed to be here 30 minutes ago and yet the chair in front of her was empty. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat her nerves getting the best of her.

“Excuse me.” She shouted grabbing ahold of one of the workers who walked by her work station. “Do you know where Tom is?”

The man shrugged his shoulders walking away without giving her any kind of an answer not even an inkling as to where her client could be. She sighed and turned back staring at the mannequin head that sat on the table. It was covered with a long black somewhat tangled mess of a wig a little out of the ordinary considering in his pictures it was apparent his hair was as blonde as it could get. She reached out and ran her fingers through it the feeling of its strands between her fingers releasing some of the anxiety she had pent up inside of her.

“Sorry I’m late.” She jumped at the sound of his voice not expecting it to be so smooth and deep. “Did I scare you?”

Leah turned on her heels smiling softly not wanting him to know he had indeed frightened her. “No. It takes a lot to scare me.”

He raised his bushy eyebrows not at all buying her story. “So if I came up to you in a dark alley at midnight you wouldn’t be the least bit afraid?”

“Well…” Why did he have to put her on the spot like that? “…maybe just a little bit.”

He chuckled and took a seat his hair looking like a ball of cotton just picked from the plant. “I would be scared of me.”

She nodded in agreement her hands reaching out and gripping tightly to his hair. “Did you brush your hair this morning?”

“That’s why I have you.” He was a cocky one that’s for sure.

“Right well you have now given up the right to complain about how I choose to tame this mop on your head.” She grabbed her brush taking note of the one lone knot at the top of his head. She immediately thrusted the plastic bristles of the brush into his scalp yanking hard the knot falling off onto the floor. Tom let out an inhuman noise gripping the back of his head.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

“That’s what happens when you don’t brush your hair.”

The rest of the evening went on without a hitch as she detangled and gelled his unruly locks. They partook in small talk though they really had very little to say to each other. Tom was a nice man raised in a nice family very sophisticated without giving up his quirky sense of humor. To most women he was a sex god the very sight of him making them go weak in the knees. Leah, however, just couldn’t seem to see what others saw in him when it came to his looks. His ears were big and stuck out, his lips were thin like two lines drawn on his face, and his nose well what is there to say about his nose it took up half his face. Yes Tom was a nice man, but she simply didn’t see the appeal.

“Right and now it’s time to work my magic.” Leah always enjoyed transforming others even if the change was something as simple as changing your hair. She grabbed the black wig from the mannequin trying her best to brush out any leftover knots before teasing it to give it some volume.

“What made you want to do hair?”

She stopped and looked at him his bottom lip tucked between his teeth. No one had ever asked her that. They always assumed she just had a love for doing hair no one really knew the real reasoning behind her sudden job switch. She placed the wig cap on his head still unsure if she wanted to answer his question truthfully or give him the same story she gave everyone else.

“My mother had breast cancer. She lost all of her hair and so she wore wigs. I always helped her put them on, helped her style them…I don’t know why I just told you that.”

Tom released the grip on his lip his eyes sinking somewhat. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to intrude like that.”

“She’s better now no need to feel bad for asking.”

The rest of their session was spent in complete silence as Leah worked diligently to make Tom look his best. As she finished teasing the last bit of hair she looked up and gazed at him in the mirror his eyes staring down at his feet clearly he was deep in thought. It then hit her harder than she ever expected it to. Something about Tom in that black wig, that messy mange, made her entire body tingle. She could feel it in her nether regions the throbbing and aching the need to feel something or someone inside of her. Yes the hair turned him into that physical sex cat that everyone raved about. She exhaled hard drawing his attention to her. She gasped as his eyes shot up catching sight of her own. He knew that look he had seen it many times before.

“Are you turned on right now?”

“What?” She mumbled breaking the intense stare that had formed between them.

“You look like you want to just jump in my lap and…”

“Tom you’re needed on the set!”

Damn Jim and his megaphone.

She wanted him to finish what he was saying wanted to hear that deep buttery voice wanted to hear his attempt at seducing her, but it would never come. At least not then.

Tom got up and grabbed his water bottle from off the floor standing up and stretching his long 6 foot 2 inch frame.

“Well Leah it was nice chatting with you.”

“Likewise.” She replied midway between a gasp and breathy moan. God that hair looked glorious on him.

“You’re going to stick around aren’t you? I’d kind of like to finish our conversation.”

She smiled by now her loins were on fire and the idea of finally getting to hear him possibly talk dirty to her only increased this sensation.

“I’d like that.” She spoke softly not wanting to give away how she was feeling that moment. “I’d like that a lot.”


	2. The British Guide to Being a Sir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom lets his true intentions known while Leah keeps hers hidden.

It was obvious to everyone there that Tilda and Tom had chemistry. It was undeniable everything you’d want out of two co-stars meant to be madly in love. Leah was allowed to stand on the sidelines an experience she would never forget. Watching him act was a sight to behold and he was truly talented there was no doubt about it. Tom poured his heart and soul into his acting and she hung onto every word he said. It was so beautiful and poetic and then the kiss. She watched as Tom opened his mouth hungrily kissing Tilda who all but reciprocated it and who could blame her. The director yelled cut and Leah immediately found herself transfixed yet again on the man in the black wig. It gave him a certain aura he seemed to walk with his head held a little bit higher when he was wearing it. Again the throbbing sensation returned in full force and she decided to remove herself from the situation. 

There was a small cafeteria set up beneath two canopies after all who would want to eat at 2 in the morning? She fixed herself a cup of coffee and sat down on one of the benches looking forward to some much needed alone time. The air was calm and the sky was completely clear every star in the universe seemingly visible to the naked eye. Nothing could break the zone she had thrusted herself into a zone of peace and tranquility…than again she didn’t know Tom Hiddleston. A warm breath hit the back of her neck and trailed upwards to her ear. It grew heavier with each passing second until a deep and raspy voice whispered to her.

“I was going to say it looked like you were ready to jump on my lap and give me the ride of my life.”

A shiver went down her spine as she gasped for a breath turning her head and watching as his long leg flung over the bench seat.

“I didn’t invite you to sit down.”

Tom rolled his eyes sitting down and scooting uncomfortably close to her. “I didn’t know this was a bench democracy.”

“It is and I am voting you off.”

“Well it takes 2 votes to win therefore I don’t see the odds being very much in your favor.” He reached up and began to scratch his head the wig finally taking its toll. “God I can’t wait to get this off.”

Watching him itch made Leah feel as if she was watching a cat being rolled over by a car. He was so rough with it and each time his fingers dug into his scalp a little part of her died.

“Can you stop doing that?”

What had gotten into her? Why was his hair bothering her so much? Why was she attaching her feelings to a patch of human hair that didn’t even belong on his head? He did as she asked clearly wanting to get on her good side. They looked at each other with the same intense gaze as before it was something Leah wasn’t quite used to. No man had ever looked at her in that way and she figured he was either drunk or just a very passionate person. His eyes were hungry with want, he wanted her she could see that and she realized this was probably the same look she gave him the moment that wig was strapped to his head.

“So what is going on with us?” He whispered his lower lip grazing against hers. “I mean it’s obvious there’s chemistry between us.”

No dear boy there was chemistry between Leah and that mop on your head as strange as that sounds. She couldn’t control it her lip began to quiver and then she inhaled noting a rather familiar smell coming from his breath.

“Are you drunk?” She knew all of this was too good to be true and a little too fast for her liking.

He backed away chuckling to himself. “I had a few drinks before I got here to relax myself. Let’s just say I am in a very good mood.”

“You’re horny.”

“Pretty much.”

“Well you know you and Tilda seemed to be getting quite hot and heavy.”

“I don’t usually go for older women. Besides she’s very happily taken.”

“How do you know I’m not taken?”

Tom smirked reaching over and taking her coffee from her hands not that she noticed much. “If you were I would have heard about him already.”

“Maybe I want to keep my private life private.”

“No you don’t have one.”  _Damn him._  “How old are you anyways?”

“I’m 22.”

He cocked his brow. “22 and already a full-fledged hair stylist on movie sets? Wow I am impressed.”

“I wanted it badly enough. I actually skipped 2 grades in school so needless to say I was ahead of everyone else and the smart girl image got rather boring after a while. I actually dropped out of high school and got a desk job before realizing what I really wanted to do. Why am I telling you this? Why do I keep spilling details about my life to a total stranger?”

“I just have one of those faces. Most people can tell I am a trustworthy soul and believe me whatever is said here is strictly between us.”

“Promise?”

He held out his rather long boney pinky making her heart melt. “Pinky swear.” How could a girl ever refuse a pinky swear from man?

* * *

As the sun began to creep over the tops of the houses the night filming wrapped and Leah was completely exhausted. She hadn’t pulled an all-nighter in months and it was beginning to take its toll. Yawning loudly she finished cleaning up her work area anxious to get back to the hotel only to find out her ride hadn’t arrived yet. She stood outside the film set taking in the sight before her. The streets were lined with old broken houses most of them in the process of being restored to their original glory. It was a side of Detroit many people didn’t get to see and somewhere she never thought she’d be. She glanced down at her watch her friend now a full 45 minutes late. A van rolled up beside her and she heard the door slide open a familiar voice calling out to her.

“Do you need a lift?”

She shook her head at first refusing Tom’s offer. “No, no my friend is going to be here any minute.” Just then her phone vibrated in her pocket and as she read the message she sighed. “Actually yes I do need a ride.”

The two of them sat in the backseat in complete silence seeing Tom without his long black hair was extremely awkward for her. He looked so different and again the feeling of hate crept over her for she couldn’t believe how shallow she was being.

“So…um…what happened to your friend?”

Leah repeated the text to him word for word. “Met someone out at the bar. Didn’t make it back to the hotel. Sorry.”

“Well good thing we’re staying in the same place. If you ever need a ride don’t hesitate to ask. So I’m taking it you drove up here…am I talking too much?”

“Just a little bit and yes we did. My friend is on her way to visit family in Canada so I kind of just bummed a ride off her.”

The rest of the car ride consisted mostly of Tom prying her for more information about her life and her willingly giving it out to him though she didn’t know why. By the time they got to the hotel Tom knew she was an only child, skipped 1st and 4th grade, went to an all-girls catholic high school, and was a big fan of iced coffee. As the van came to a stop Leah caught sight of the small mob of girls standing next to the hotel entrance.

“Ah. They must have found out where I’m staying.”

“Oh that is so cute it’s like you have your own itty bitty titty committee.” He whipped his head around staring at her with his mouth open never expecting to hear something so vulgar come from her. “Sorry.”

He then began laughing it was an annoying horrible laugh if you even want to call it that. “No need to be sorry that was actually pretty accurate no offense to them, alas these are just normal fans who want a hug and to find out what I smell like.” He stepped out and without even realizing it he offered her his hand. “Are you coming?”

Leah smiled at his kind gesture surely he learned that from  _“The British Guide to Being a Sir”_   which she was convinced at least 75% of the men in England had read.

“Yes let me take your hand and step out of this vehicle into a crowd of your fans who will think we are dating and proceed to rip me limb from limb. That’s exactly what I planned to do with my day.”

He understood her concern after all female fans could get rather rowdy upon finding out that their favorite male celebrity even so much as talked to a member of the opposite sex.

“Right well Joe if you don’t mind please drive Miss Mayfield to the side entrance so she can enter the hotel in complete privacy.”

Yes  _“The British Guide to Being a Sir”_   must have been a best seller she was sure of it and Tom particularly took its text to heart for he was the epitome of an English gentlemen. Too bad Leah didn’t have the heart to tell him that she simply wasn’t interested in him. Maybe it was time to read the  _“Women’s Guide to Letting Down British Sir’s Without Hurting Their Feelings and Making Them Cry”_.


End file.
